I think that everybody's desktop lines will disappear in 5-10 years.
Sure, there will be existing installations! But the new solutions being marketed will not place a desktop (or floortop) at every workstation.
.
I agree. I want an appliance in the cellar, much like today's water heaters. I want to connect to it with everything from cheap dumb client stuff like my TV set or a tablet computer up to whatever makes sense for my out-of-home use - most likely a sophisticated tablet that does everything today's laptops do, along with tiny pocket stuff that just plugs in to anyone's system so you can use their keyboard/mouse/monitor along with your home server and/or their home server and/or local storage and/or cloud storage.
All seamless. Grab any device, from the cheap single-purpose clients, up to the amazing stuff you show off to your friends, and you've got all the content your family owns along with all the other options that the device will allow.
I don't get it at all. You say the Air is the first real stroke. The point is that this will make it so the desktop does not disappear.
I don't get it at all. Could you explain?
Apple will be integrating SSDs into all new Macs.
Since Apple buys these chips in freaking huge quantities, they will be able to offer a generation of Macs that will be able to offer performance at a price the Wintel world can't match.
The iPad was the first true example of this.
Apple used to be the more expensive option.
The iPad is actually the less expensive option in the tablet market.
Many people and companies are using the mac mini's as servers. There are companies that have hundreds of them on racks connected together. The mini probably was stealing the X-serve's business. You can get almost three mini's configured to be servers for the price of an x-serve. Further, there is software that let's you hook them up to work as a single unit.
Somehow, I don't think that FedEx or MasterCard or even Thrifty Rent-a-Car will be switching over anytime soon.
Along with refusing to put a floppy in the original Mac, and outrageous pricing on the NeXT product line - this has to be Steve's most boneheaded move.
It makes perfect sense. It is unlikely that they make much money from that product line.
Next to be discontinued: High end Mac workstations.
To an Apple suddenly making the majority of their money from a tiny phone, a tablet computer and apps... servers might look very unappealing, but it does harm their credibility with corporate customers. Let's hope they come back with something even better.
Well, unsurprisingly, lots of wailing and weeping and gnashing of teeth.
<sigh>
This is both an expected and rational move. There are several factors at play here that make this move make sense:
1. This product was likely not very profitable and a distraction from Apple's larger strategy.
2. Apple does/will offer a small business/office "server" solution in the form of the Mac Mini and the Mac Pro (server configuration...announced today).
3. More and more things are moving to the "cloud". Apple recognizes this and provides some (and likely more in the future) cloud-based services.
4. The data center is actually well-served by many other vendors. Apple likely didn't feel they could add a whole lot in that space.
And there are probably other contributing factors.
As to whether they will get out of the desktop business? To early to tell. I could see the Mac Pro line dwindling down and disappearing in a few years. I could also see some streamlining of the MacBook line.
'bye bye'? they never were in the enterprise. they never worked at getting in the enterprise and no one really uses them except for here and there a lonely xserv ha.
they needed to just stop pretending they could compete and get out.
they are a 'mobile' company now anyway right?
we've got a rack filled with a couple of Xserves and an Xserve RAID (6 TB RAID 5) here at work. they dropped the Xserve RAID, so our second one had to be a 20 TB Promise Vtrak....
regardless of whether they succeeded, apple *did* make an attempt in enterprise, and we are one of those businesses that are living proof.
Of bigger news is that they are not discontinuing OS X Server software. the rack mount-only server might be gone, but Virginia Tech started their supercomputer with Mac G5 towers, and only upgraded to the Xserve when they were first released.... and, interestingly enough, the Mac Pro is still sized to fit into a 19" rack...
I own two XServes, and I have mixed feelings about them. XServe is the best option for Mac OS X Server, but it has flaws. It is limited as others have pointed out.
Looking at the big picture, I think this is the end of the line for rack-mount hardware from Apple. Apple should be Apple's #1 customer for enterprise, but they don't use what they make. For example, Mac OS X Server has mail, but Apple uses Exchange servers internally.
WebObjects is another interesting example. It's used by one of the biggest online stores: The Apple Store, but they stopped supporting its use by customers. Development was being pulled in two directions: meet internal needs, and also package it for customer use.
In very large server farms (i.e. google), they don't uses cases. It's more efficient to just buy motherboards and hard drives and bolt the components to a flat sheet of metal. Packaging up a server into a shipping product is a big cost.
So, Apple enterprise is torn between two competing needs: internal and external customers.
I suspect their plan is this:You don't need an XServe, Apple will host all the services you need in our data center. This way, they can concentrate the hardware on only internal needs, and maybe eventually only support internal installations of Server.
So what? The mini is a great server for my application - the xserve would be gross overkill.
Different products for different markets. Get it?
Quote:
Originally Posted by pondosinatra
Along with refusing to put a floppy in the original Mac, and outrageous pricing on the NeXT product line - this has to be Steve's most boneheaded move.
Thanks for proving you don't have a clue about the computer market.
The iMac turned into one of the top selling computer models of its time - and was the start of Apple's resurgence.
NeXT ended up earning hundreds of millions of dollars for Jobs (billions if you count his profits on Apple stock) and is now the #2 OS in the world.
They could be all headed into Apple's server farm in North Carolina, and Apple might get into selling cloud services. Maybe? I dunno. It sucks though. It's strange, really. Apple wants to sell more iPads?
2) Saying that satellite computing devices will outnumber typical ?PCs? is not some farfetched notion. iOS devices (which you refer to as iToys) already outnumber the number of Macs sold by 6 to 1. If we look at all other major PC makers and MS, they are all focusing their attention on satellite computing.
3) Dick?s statement isn?t saying that desktop computers will go away completely, but that our reliance on them as our primary means of communicating digitally will wane. This is the nature of all tech. Paradigm shifts do happen and with mobile computing getting more robust there simply is less need for the average person to have ?PC? in every room. We already had this shift from desktops to notebooks, now we?re seeing this with handheld devices that suit the majority of casual computing needs.
4) I predict we?ll see an upsurge of desktops as the single, powerful, stationary computer, with multiple smartphones and tablets in a household serving a multitude of satellite computing needs. Even the TV will get involved in future of computing.
You sound thrilled! Must be happy Apple saved your effing job security. Anybody in the know knows that if Apple wanted to play the disposable server game they could.
The server business is a dump that keeps a bunch of high paid techs employed.
laugh at that!
i saw that you also made some bizarre comment about 'job security' on another post? what are you talking about? wait...i know: You don't have a clue about what you are mouthing off about.
Comments
Apple... now officially a toymaker.
I am sure they were considered a "toymaker" by IBM in the 70s.
How did that work out?
Apple does have 50 billion worth of cash on hand. Wonder if that played into the decision......
Is this what Apple will run in its server farm?
You owe me a keyboard. I just threw up all over mine.
It won't disappear. It will change. Apple is driving innovation in the consumer sector.
Macs, iPads, iOS.
The first real stroke is the new Air.
Don't you get it?
I don't get it at all. You say the Air is the first real stroke. The point is that this will make it so the desktop does not disappear.
I don't get it at all. Could you explain?
I think that everybody's desktop lines will disappear in 5-10 years.
Sure, there will be existing installations! But the new solutions being marketed will not place a desktop (or floortop) at every workstation.
.
I agree. I want an appliance in the cellar, much like today's water heaters. I want to connect to it with everything from cheap dumb client stuff like my TV set or a tablet computer up to whatever makes sense for my out-of-home use - most likely a sophisticated tablet that does everything today's laptops do, along with tiny pocket stuff that just plugs in to anyone's system so you can use their keyboard/mouse/monitor along with your home server and/or their home server and/or local storage and/or cloud storage.
All seamless. Grab any device, from the cheap single-purpose clients, up to the amazing stuff you show off to your friends, and you've got all the content your family owns along with all the other options that the device will allow.
I don't get it at all. You say the Air is the first real stroke. The point is that this will make it so the desktop does not disappear.
I don't get it at all. Could you explain?
Apple will be integrating SSDs into all new Macs.
Since Apple buys these chips in freaking huge quantities, they will be able to offer a generation of Macs that will be able to offer performance at a price the Wintel world can't match.
The iPad was the first true example of this.
Apple used to be the more expensive option.
The iPad is actually the less expensive option in the tablet market.
Apple should replace the XServe with the iServe.
Can I assume it would run iOS Server Edition?
Many people and companies are using the mac mini's as servers. There are companies that have hundreds of them on racks connected together. The mini probably was stealing the X-serve's business. You can get almost three mini's configured to be servers for the price of an x-serve. Further, there is software that let's you hook them up to work as a single unit.
Somehow, I don't think that FedEx or MasterCard or even Thrifty Rent-a-Car will be switching over anytime soon.
http://images.apple.com/xserve/pdf/L...erve_Guide.pdf
Also, the Slashdot crowd weighs in: http://apple.slashdot.org/story/10/1...ontinue-Xserve
It makes perfect sense. It is unlikely that they make much money from that product line.
Next to be discontinued: High end Mac workstations.
To an Apple suddenly making the majority of their money from a tiny phone, a tablet computer and apps... servers might look very unappealing, but it does harm their credibility with corporate customers. Let's hope they come back with something even better.
lol
<sigh>
This is both an expected and rational move. There are several factors at play here that make this move make sense:
1. This product was likely not very profitable and a distraction from Apple's larger strategy.
2. Apple does/will offer a small business/office "server" solution in the form of the Mac Mini and the Mac Pro (server configuration...announced today).
3. More and more things are moving to the "cloud". Apple recognizes this and provides some (and likely more in the future) cloud-based services.
4. The data center is actually well-served by many other vendors. Apple likely didn't feel they could add a whole lot in that space.
And there are probably other contributing factors.
As to whether they will get out of the desktop business? To early to tell. I could see the Mac Pro line dwindling down and disappearing in a few years. I could also see some streamlining of the MacBook line.
'bye bye'? they never were in the enterprise. they never worked at getting in the enterprise and no one really uses them except for here and there a lonely xserv ha.
they needed to just stop pretending they could compete and get out.
they are a 'mobile' company now anyway right?
we've got a rack filled with a couple of Xserves and an Xserve RAID (6 TB RAID 5) here at work. they dropped the Xserve RAID, so our second one had to be a 20 TB Promise Vtrak....
regardless of whether they succeeded, apple *did* make an attempt in enterprise, and we are one of those businesses that are living proof.
Of bigger news is that they are not discontinuing OS X Server software. the rack mount-only server might be gone, but Virginia Tech started their supercomputer with Mac G5 towers, and only upgraded to the Xserve when they were first released.... and, interestingly enough, the Mac Pro is still sized to fit into a 19" rack...
Looking at the big picture, I think this is the end of the line for rack-mount hardware from Apple. Apple should be Apple's #1 customer for enterprise, but they don't use what they make. For example, Mac OS X Server has mail, but Apple uses Exchange servers internally.
WebObjects is another interesting example. It's used by one of the biggest online stores: The Apple Store, but they stopped supporting its use by customers. Development was being pulled in two directions: meet internal needs, and also package it for customer use.
In very large server farms (i.e. google), they don't uses cases. It's more efficient to just buy motherboards and hard drives and bolt the components to a flat sheet of metal. Packaging up a server into a shipping product is a big cost.
So, Apple enterprise is torn between two competing needs: internal and external customers.
I suspect their plan is this:You don't need an XServe, Apple will host all the services you need in our data center. This way, they can concentrate the hardware on only internal needs, and maybe eventually only support internal installations of Server.
Apple included a trial ZFS implementation in a prior OS X. I played with it a bit across several Macs and external HDDs.
I think Apple abandoned it for several reasons:
-- it was overkill for the requirements of most Mac users
-- Apple couldn't figure out how to simplify the complexity with a GUI to make it usable to any but the most technical Mac users
I am surprised/disappointed it is not part of OS X Server.
All of which ignores the fact that ZFS' creator doesn't even support it any more. There was nothing Apple could do.
I agree with all except the last bit.
So you agree with all the facts and then dream up a scenario which is completely CONTRADICTORY to the facts?
The official transition document from Apple. Note the performance difference between the mini & the Xserve.
http://images.apple.com/xserve/pdf/L...erve_Guide.pdf
So what? The mini is a great server for my application - the xserve would be gross overkill.
Different products for different markets. Get it?
Along with refusing to put a floppy in the original Mac, and outrageous pricing on the NeXT product line - this has to be Steve's most boneheaded move.
Thanks for proving you don't have a clue about the computer market.
The iMac turned into one of the top selling computer models of its time - and was the start of Apple's resurgence.
NeXT ended up earning hundreds of millions of dollars for Jobs (billions if you count his profits on Apple stock) and is now the #2 OS in the world.
With failures like those, who needs winners?
I totally disagree!
Desktops? DESKTOPS? We don't need no stinkin' desktops!
.
Wow Golly Gee!! What an intelligent post - "We don't need no stinkin' desktops!"
No I suppose YOU never will need no stinkin desktop. Have fun enjoying your movies, photographs, and listening to music on your iPad!!!!!
.
What rill they use in Apple server farms?
.
They could be all headed into Apple's server farm in North Carolina, and Apple might get into selling cloud services. Maybe? I dunno. It sucks though. It's strange, really. Apple wants to sell more iPads?
Wow Golly Gee!! What an intelligent post - "We don't need no stinkin' desktops!"
No I suppose YOU never will need no stinkin desktop. Have fun enjoying your movies, photographs, and listening to music on your iPad!!!!!
1) Learn the origins of such paraphrasing that is done for comic effect. They will show up again.2) Saying that satellite computing devices will outnumber typical ?PCs? is not some farfetched notion. iOS devices (which you refer to as iToys) already outnumber the number of Macs sold by 6 to 1. If we look at all other major PC makers and MS, they are all focusing their attention on satellite computing.
3) Dick?s statement isn?t saying that desktop computers will go away completely, but that our reliance on them as our primary means of communicating digitally will wane. This is the nature of all tech. Paradigm shifts do happen and with mobile computing getting more robust there simply is less need for the average person to have ?PC? in every room. We already had this shift from desktops to notebooks, now we?re seeing this with handheld devices that suit the majority of casual computing needs.
4) I predict we?ll see an upsurge of desktops as the single, powerful, stationary computer, with multiple smartphones and tablets in a household serving a multitude of satellite computing needs. Even the TV will get involved in future of computing.
You sound thrilled! Must be happy Apple saved your effing job security. Anybody in the know knows that if Apple wanted to play the disposable server game they could.
The server business is a dump that keeps a bunch of high paid techs employed.
laugh at that!
i saw that you also made some bizarre comment about 'job security' on another post? what are you talking about? wait...i know: You don't have a clue about what you are mouthing off about.